article thumbnail

Our Favorite Bird Books (and one pair of Binoculars) of 2022

10,000 Birds

What extraordinary birds penguins are: physically, they remind us of ourselves, so we think we understand their behaviors, but, as the authors say, “their private life is as complex and mysterious as that of any wild animal.” Dragan]: Europe’s Birds: An Identification Guide , by Hume, Still, Swash, and Harrop is a photographic guide.

Sri Lanka 226
article thumbnail

Africa’s Big Five and Little Five

10,000 Birds

They are not necessarily the biggest African animals, but represented those that were considered a real hunter’s worthy prey or “game” – the African Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Black Rhinoceros, Leopard and king of the jungle, the Lion (which of course doesn’t inhabit jungle but savanna!).

Buffalo 202
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Trending Sources

article thumbnail

Tanzania – Africa at its best

10,000 Birds

Tanzania is without a doubt the quintessential African safari nation. Despite being a proud South African, my honest answer is Tanzania. For this post, I have selected what is in my opinion the three essential and must-visit sites in Tanzania and these all fall within the classic Northern Tanzania safari circuit.

Tanzania 217
article thumbnail

Can we talk about Cecil the Lion?

10,000 Birds

Although lip service was paid to the fact that lions are endangered and a lion was poached, the language of anger was the language of animals rights. I’ve written before at length about how conservation and animal rights , while often drawing on mutual a reverence of nature, are different beasts. Not at the moment, anyway.

Lions 207
article thumbnail

Birding the Kruger Park (4): Letaba area

10,000 Birds

While hoopoes are in their own family, DNA studies suggest that the hoopoe diverged from hornbills, and the wood-hoopoes and scimitarbills from the hoopoe. As usual at Kruger, there are a few animals that are irrelevant for birders. Of course, the second explanation makes a lot more sense.

Zimbabwe 147
article thumbnail

Frogs and Toads of the World: A Book Review by a Fairy Tale Junkie

10,000 Birds

Or, Pygmy leaf-folding frogs, Afrixalus brachycnemis, from Tanzania, tiny climbing frogs who lay their eggs in leaves and then fold the leaves over them for protection, sealing the nest with secretions. As Mattison says, “Frogs are unlikely to be mistaken for any other type of animal.” It turns out there is no scientific difference!

Reptiles 185
article thumbnail

The Bee-eaters of Africa

10,000 Birds

The wonderful family Meropidae contains 27 dazzling species, of which Africa is endowed with no less than 20 species, the balance occurring across Asia and with one as far afield as Australia. These beaters usually take the form of grazing herds of game and domestic animals, and large flocks of carmine bee-eaters may gather overhead.

Africa 264